DMU Murray, Georgia

Murray County sits at the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the western edge of the Valley and Ridge physiographic province in northwest Georgia. Elevations rise dramatically from roughly 600 feet along river corridors to over 4,000 feet in the Cohutta Mountains in the county's northeast corner. Terrain is characterized by steep, densely forested ridges, narrow hollows, and creek drainages dominated by mixed hardwood and pine. The Conasauga River runs through the northern highlands — one of the most biodiverse rivers in North America — while the Coosawattee River drains the southern lowlands. Valley floors hold agricultural pockets of pasture and row crops providing edge habitat amid the otherwise rugged upland forest.

Low to moderate. Public-land hunting on Cohutta WMA draws a steady but well-spread crowd due to the area's massive acreage and difficult terrain, diluting per-acre pressure. Deer populations on the WMA are known to be lower than Georgia averages due to heavy predation by bears and coyotes and dense canopy limiting forage. Private valley lands may see higher local pressure near agricultural fields. Overall, Murray County ranks low-to-moderate for deer harvest volume statewide, constrained by mountain terrain and restricted antlerless season structure.

Georgia's statewide bag limit of 12 deer applies (maximum 10 antlerless, no more than 2 antlered bucks). Murray County is one of nine restricted mountain counties where antlerless harvest is limited to designated doe days only — does cannot be taken throughout the entire firearms season as in most Georgia counties. The early October Antlerless-Only Firearms Weekend is also closed in Murray County. On Cohutta WMA specifically, all deer hunting is buck-only regardless of season — no antlerless harvest is permitted on the WMA. One of the two legal bucks must meet the Quality Buck standard: at least 4 antler points one inch or longer on one side, or a minimum 15-inch outside spread.

Deer season: archery opens September 13; primitive weapons/youth October 11-17; statewide firearms October 18 through January 11. Wild turkey: spring only; youth/mobility-impaired March 21-22, private land statewide March 28 through May 15, public land/WMAs April 4 through May 15; bag limit 1 gobbler per day, 3 per season. Hardwood coves of the Cohuttas support good gobbler numbers. Feral hogs are present; taken year-round with no bag limit on private land. On Cohutta WMA, hogs may be harvested during any open season using legal weapons for that season, plus a dedicated hog and coyote season typically late May. Black bear season operates in designated WMA zones per GADNR schedule. The Conasauga River system supports wild trout and attracts significant angler traffic spring through fall.

Murray County delivers a distinctly Blue Ridge mountain hunting experience anchored by Cohutta WMA — one of Georgia's largest and most remote public hunting areas at nearly 100,000 acres within the Chattahoochee National Forest. While deer densities run lower than piedmont counties and the WMA restricts harvest to bucks only, the area rewards hunters seeking solitude, rugged terrain, and quality mountain whitetails shaped by natural selection in high-country habitat. The Conasauga and Coosawattee River drainages concentrate deer and turkey in riparian corridors flanked by steep ridges, creating ideal ambush topography for archery hunters. Spring turkey hunting in hardwood coves is a regional standout, with good gobbler populations supported by rich mast production from oak and hickory. The county is also notable black bear and hog country for hunters willing to work the demanding mountain terrain.